a o 
The firft fort hath thick fiefhy roots which are jointed, 
and fend out fibres from every part the leaves grow 
fmgly upon fiiort foot-ftalks, arifing immediately from 
the root ; thefe are kidney-fhaped, eared at the foot- 
ftalk, and rounded at the top, where they are in- 
dented •, they are fmooth, and of a flaming green 
colour : the flowers grow upon very fhort foot-ftalks 
clofe to the ground, fo are hid under the leaves. They 
are compofed of a bell-fhaped empalement, of a worn- 
out purple colour, which is cut into three at the top, 
where it turns backward : in the bottom is fituated 
the gerrnen, attended by twelve fhort ftamina, which 
afterward turns to a leathery feed-vefiel, divided into 
fix cells, which contain feveral roundifli feeds. 
The leaves of the fecond fort are much larger than 
thofe of the firft, and ftand on longer foot-ftalks ; 
thefe are pointed and hairy. The flowers are like 
thofe of the other fort, growing clofe to the root, but 
are fomewhat inclining to green on their outfide, in 
all other refpebts they agree. 
The third fort hath fmooth blunt heart-fhaped leaves, 
Handing on longer foot-ftalks •, thefe are veined and 
fpotted on their upper furface like thofe of the au- 
tumnal Cyclamen ; the flowers of this are fhaped like 
the others, but ftand on longer foot-ftalks, and are 
of a darker purple colour. Thefe flower in April and 
May, and their feeds ripen in July and Auguft. 
The firft of thefe forts is very common, and hath 
been found wild in fome parts of England, though 
but rarely •, it delights in a moift fhady place, and is 
increafed by parting the roots in autumn. This is the 
fort which is ufecl in medicine. 
The Canada fort is equally hardy, fo will endure our 
common winters in the open ground, being rarely 
hurt by frofts, if planted in a dry foil, for too much 
wet often occafions the roots to rot in winter. This 
is propagated as the other. 
The third fort will alfo live in the open air in Eng- 
land, being feldom injured by froft ; but if the plants 
are too much expofed to the fun in fummer, they 
feldom thrive well •, therefore they fhould be planted 
in a border where they may have only the morning 
fun, in which fituation they will fpread and increafe. 
Thefe two laft grow naturally in leveral parts of 
North America. 
A S C L E P I A S [fo called from JEfculapius the firft 
inventor of phyfic ; it is alfo called Vincetoxicum, 
from vincere, to ovecome, and to£i> c«, poifons, q. d. 
a plant overcoming poifons,] Hirundinaria, or Swal- 
low-wort. 
The Characters are, 
T he empalement is of one leaf which is cut into five acute 
fegments •, the petal of the flower is alfo of one leaf di- 
vided into five oval parts , which are reflexed in the cen- 
ter is Jituated five neciarii which encompafs the parts of 
generation \ thefe have horns which turn toward the Jta- 
niina , and are joined in a truncated body inclo fed by five 
ficales , which epen every way. c Ihere are five Jiamina 
which are ficarce vifible , which have five fummits , Jituated 
between the nedtarii , and inclofed by the ficales of the trun- 
cated body . It hath two oval pointed germen , fupporting 
two fhort ftyles crowned by a fingle fiigma. The germen 
afterward becomes two large , oblongs fwelling pods ending 
in a point , having one cell , which opens with two valves 
filled with comprejfed feeds , lying over each other like tiles 
on a houfe , and are crowned with a foft doivn. 
This genus of plants is ranged in Linnaeus’s fecond 
febtion of his fifth clafs, entitled Pentandria Digynia, 
the flowers having five ftamina and two ftyles. 
The Species are, 
1. Asclepias (Alba) ioYiis, ovatis'baflbarbatis cauleerebto 
umbelulis proliferis. Lin. Sp. Plant. 314. Swallow- 
wort with oval leaves bearded at their bafie , an upright 
ftalk, and a proliferous umbel. Afclepias albo fiore. C. 
B. P. 303. 
2. Asclepias (Nigra) foliis ovatis baft barbatis caule 
fuperne fubvolubili. Lin. Sp. Plant. 216. Swallow - 
' wort with oval leaves bearded at their bafe, and the upper 
part of the folk twining , Afclepias nigro flore. C. B. 
P. 303, 
3. Asclepias (Luiea) foliis ovatis’ acutis caule infirmo, 
umbellis fimplicibus. Swallow-wort with oval pointed 
leaves , a weak folk , and fingle umbels. Afclepias an- 
guftifolia flore flavefeente. H. E. Par. ‘ 
4. Asclepias (Verticittata) foliis revolutis linearibus ver- 
ticiilatis caule erebto. Lin. Sp. Plant. 217. Swallow- 
wort with narrow twifting leaves growing in whorles , and 
an upright ftalk. Apocynum Marianurn erect um fina- 
lise anguftiflimis foliis urnbellatum. Pink. Mant. 1 7. 
5. Asclepias (Syriaca) foliis ovalibus fubtus tomentofis 
caule fimpliciflimo umbellis nutantibus. Lin. Sp. 
Plant. 214. Swallow-wont with oval downy leaves , a 
Jingle ftalk , and nodding umbels. This is the Apocynum 
majus Syriacuin erebtum. Corn. Canad. Greater up- 
right Syrian Dogjbane. 
6 . Asclepias (Amcena) foliis ovatis fubtus pilofiufculis 
caule fimplici umbellis nebtariifque erebtis. Lin. Sp. 
Plant. 214. Swallow-wort with oval leaves , hairy on 
their under fide , a fingle ftalk , with upright umbels and 
nedtarii. Ap.ocynum floribus amoene purpureis corni- 
culis furrebtis. ITort. Elth. 31. 
7. Asclepias (Purpurafeens) foliis ovatis fubtus villofis 
caule fimplici umbellis erebtis nebtariis refupinatis. 
Lin. Sp. Plant. 214. Swallow-wort with oval leaves, 
hairy on their under fide , a fingle ftalk , and upright um- 
bels with inclining nedtarii. Apocynum erebtum Nove- 
boracenfe foliis minus incanis flore ex obfoleto dilute 
purpurafeente. Par. Bat. 33. 
8. Asclepias (Variegata) foliis ovatis rugofis nudis caule 
fimplici umbellis fubfeffilibus pedicellis tomentofis. 
Lin. Sp. Plant. Swallow-wort with rough , naked , oval 
leaves , a fingle ftalk , umbels growing clofe to the ftalk , 
having woolly foot-ftalks. Apocynum vetus Americanum 
Wifank dibtum. Hort. Elth. 32. 
9. Asclepias (Incarnata) foliis lanceolatis caule fuperne 
divifo, umbellis erebtis. Lin. Sp. Plant. 215. Swallow- 
wort with fpear-Jhaped leaves , the upper part of the ftalk 
divided , and eredl double umbels. Apocynum minus 
rebtum Canadenfe, Corn. Canad. 9. 
10. Asclepias (Decumbens) foliis villofis caule decum- 
bente. Lin. Sp. Plant. 216. Swallow -wort with hairy 
leaves , and a declining ftalk. Apocynum Carolinianum 
aurantiacum pilofum. Pet. H. Sicc. 90. 
11. Asclepias (Tuberofa) foliis alternis lanceolatis caule 
divaricato pilofo. Lin. Sp. Plant. 217. Swallow-wort 
with fpear-fijaped leaves growing alternate , and a hairy 
divided ftalk. Apocynum Novae Angliae hirfutum tu- 
berofa radice floribus aurantiis. H. L. 649. commonly 
called Orange Apocynum. 
12. Asclepias ( Glabra ) foliis lineari-lanceolatis glabris 
caule fruticofo umbellis lateralibus. Swallow -wort with 
fmooth , narrow , fpear-Jhaped leaves , a Jhrnbby ftalk , and 
umbels coming out of the fides. Apocynum erebtum 
Africanum villofo frubtu falicis folio glabro angufto. 
Par. Bat. 23. 
13. Asclepias (Fruticofa) foliis lanceolatis glabris um- 
bellis fimplicibus lateralibus caule fruticofo. Sw allow - 
wort with fmooth fpear-Jhaped leaves, fingle umbels coming 
from the fides of the branches , and a fhrubby ftalk. Apo- 
cynum erebtum Africanum folio falicis lato glabro 
frubtu villofo. Par. Bat. 24. 
14. Asclepias (Villofia) foliis lanceolatis villofis acutis 
umbellis fimplicibus erebtis caule fruticofo. Swallow- 
wort with hairy fpear-Jhaped leaves , fingle upright umbels , 
and a fhrubby ftalk. Apocynum erebtum Africanum 
villofo frubtu falicis folio lato fubhirfuto. Par. Bat. 
24. 
15. Asclepias (Rotundifolia) caule erebto fruticofo, 
foliis fubrotundis amplexicaulibus, umbellis congeftis. 
Swallow-wort with an upright fhrubby ftalk , rcundijh 
leaves embracing it, and clofe umbels. Apocynum erebtum 
fruticoftim folio flibrotundo glauco. Par. Bat. 37. 
16. Asclepias (Nivea) foliis lanceolatis glabris caule 
fimplici umbellis erebtis lateralibus folitariis. Lin. Sp. 
Plant. 215. Swallow-wort with a fingle ftalk , fmooth 
fpear-Jhaped leaves , and upright fingle umbels , proceeding 
fro?n the wings of the leaves. Apocynum Americanum 
foliis Amygdali longioribus. Plum. Cat. 2. 
17. Asclepias (Curafiavica) foliis lanceolatis petiolads 
glabris caule fimplici umbellis erebtis folitariis, Lin. 
Sp. 
1 
